Regulate to Escape Disposable Prisoners Dilemma

The book argues brands baked disposability into their business model after WWII and now face a prisoner’s‑dilemma: any one company that goes reusable risks losing share and angering investors. The practical way out is regulation that forces all competitors to move together and packaging standards that make closed‑loop recycling economically viable. Without rules, 'sustainable' launches stay niche and down‑cycling persists. — It reframes plastic waste as a coordination and standards problem, pushing policymakers toward sector‑wide mandates and packaging harmonization instead of relying on voluntary corporate pledges.